Thursday, July 24, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Eat: Recommended Restaurants

Chain gang

by James P. Reza

Here we sit, in our ink-stained towers of journalism, eagerly giving lip service to personality-driven, locally owned restaurants. But even we'll admit it: Sometimes you just want to go where the service, the food and the atmosphere are mechanically consistent. On these rare occasions, it's a good thing we live in Las Vegas, where the opening of a new Chili's is greeted with the kind of enthusiasm that should make us all embarrassed.

Bertolini's Authentic Trattoria

3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 735-4663

9500 W. Sahara Ave.; 869-1540

$$; Smart Casual

This smallish upscale chain, owned by Morton's Restaurant Group, exemplifies what a good chain restaurant should be by offering a consistent, high-value dining experience. Light, northern Italian pasta and risotto are complemented by tasty salads, wood-fired pizza and signature desserts. Both locations have a decent bar scene as well, but we prefer the Forum Shops for the people-watching.

Carrabba's Italian Grill

8771 W. Charleston Blvd.; 304-2345

10160 S. Eastern Ave.; 990-0650

$-$$; Casual/Smart Casual

Occupying an underserved medium between "family" and "upscale," diners at Carrabba's are equally comfortable either after work or play. The dining room is dark enough for a first date, but bright enough for families, and the bar is always busy. Like most chains this size, the food can be a bit bland, but choosing your selections from the specialties menu helps.

Cheesecake Factory

750 S. Rampart Blvd.; 951-3800

3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 792-6888

$-$$; Casual/Smart Casual

As far as gimmicky chains go, this ubiquitous, upscale eatery is among the best for lunch and brunch. The speedy service and chi-chi feel belies the well-made comfort food on the massive menu. A dozen tasty salads (meals in themselves) are offered to accompany everything from burgers and breakfast to quesadillas and Cuervo. Plus, the namesake gimmick lives up to the boast.

Chipotle

10251 S. Eastern Ave.; 361-6438

(and more to come)

$; Casual

This upscale fast food chain promises to give Baja Fresh a run for its salsa with delicious (and huge) custom-made 20-ounce burritos, fresh tacos and the trump card once held by the late Taco Cabana: beer and margaritas. Currently, they are only in Harrah's on the Strip and in Green Valley, but soon you'll be slumming with the undergrads across from UNLV.

Cozymel's Coastal Mexican Grill

355 Hughes Center Drive; 732-4833

$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

With 15 locations, nine of them in the South and Midwest, you might think Cozymel's specializes in bland approximations of Mexican food. But since this is a coastal Mexican grill, and everyone loves seafood, if you focus on the specialties (Yucatan Especial, Chilean Sea Bass), you'll be happy. Even the fajitas are pretty good, and the location makes the bar scene a sexy one.

Mimi's Café

121 S. Fort Apache; 341-0365

$; Casual

This Costa Mesa-based diner is a pick of Orange County denizens joyriding to the beach, but the Summerlin version sacrifices the SoCal insouciance. Mimi's serves a very tasty breakfast (and freshly baked muffins) all day, along with a varied menu of comfort food. Beware the lemming locals who jack up the weekend wait time; volunteer to sit at the counter to avoid the line.

Original Pancake House

4833 W. Charleston Blvd.; 259-7755

(several other locations)

$; Casual

Every kid leaps at the thought of pancakes, and the ones at this Portland fave are almost too good to be true. There are so many varieties of scratch-made delights that it takes several minutes just to salivate your way through the menu: apple, Swedish, buckwheat. ... For those who don't dig sweets in the morning, a full breakfast menu is also available.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro

4165 Paradise Road; 792-2207

1095 S. Rampart Blvd.; 968-8885

$-$$; Smart Casual/Trendy

Yes, you can get noodles here. And rice. But the honest draw is the people parade: the hostesses are beautiful, the wait staff quick and quirky and the bar slammed with hipsters. If you still want to eat, try the tofu lettuce wraps, the garlic noodles and the Szechwan long beans--but beware: What sounds vegetarian often is not. In Summerlin, suits and trendy entrepreneurs sip Sapphire side by side.

Romano's Macaroni Grill

2440 W. Sahara Ave.; 248-9500

2001 N. Rainbow Blvd.; 648-6688

573 Stephanie St.; 433-2788

$-$$; Casual-Smart Casual

This Italian restaurant chain is bistro-inspired but far too big to be one. It is, however, upscale casual, loud and sturdy enough for children. Parents will love the good food at decent prices, the kids will love coloring on the butcher-paper table tops with provided crayons, and everyone will love being a family and not getting stared down.

Z'Tejas

3824 S. Paradise Road; 732-1660

9560 W. Sahara Ave.; 638-0610

$-$$; Smart Casual

Locals put off by the carpetbagger vibe of the central location will love the ambiance of the west side, where weekends are populated by neighbors enjoying a drink and the game, and the tables are big enough for briefcases. Delicious wild mushroom enchiladas and spicy grilled chicken pasta are choice selections from the Southwestern/Cajun-inspired menu.